Home-from-home day care
Dog Day Care in Ipswich
A smaller, homelier kind of day care. While you're at work, your dog spends the day as part of our household — company, walks and proper rest in a real Ipswich home, not a busy commercial day-care hall.
Day care, done differently
A day at the club
Most commercial dog day care in Suffolk works on scale: big halls, large packs of dogs and a fixed daily timetable. It suits some dogs brilliantly. But many dogs — particularly younger, older or quieter ones — find that kind of environment more tiring than restful.
Day care at The Collar Club Ipswich is deliberately different. Your dog spends the day inside our family home in Ipswich, with the garden, the sofas and steady human company. There's a proper walk, unhurried time outdoors, and — crucially — genuine downtime, so your dog comes home pleasantly tired rather than overstimulated.
A genuine home environment
There's no difference between our day care home and our boarding home — because it's the same house. Dogs spend their day where people actually live: warm rooms, soft places to lie, a secure garden and the reassuring rhythm of an ordinary household.
For dogs who are used to a home, this makes home dog daycare in Ipswich a much easier adjustment than a commercial setting. Nothing about the day feels institutional, and the transition from your house to ours is a gentle one.
The Collar Club Ipswich is licensed by Ipswich Borough Council (licence no. AWL0005) for day care as well as boarding, so the home and our standards of care are inspected and approved.
Play, walks & downtime
A good day for a dog is a balanced one. Day care includes a proper walk on the footpaths and countryside around Ipswich and Suffolk, time to play and potter in the secure garden, and sociable company for dogs who enjoy it.
Just as important is rest. Dogs need far more sleep than a busy day-care hall usually allows, so the day always includes a genuine quiet period indoors — a settled nap in a comfortable spot, the way they'd rest at home.
All dogs will receive at least 2 20 minute walks as standard, lengths can be increased at no extra charge to meet the requirements of your dog. Secure dog fields can also be used where requested at an extra cost
Small numbers, on purpose
Never more than five
Day care shares the same limit as our boarding: a maximum of 5 guest dogs at one time.
Small numbers change everything about a dog's day. Every dog is known by name and temperament, play is supervised properly rather than from a distance, and quieter dogs are never lost in a large boisterous pack.
It also means places are limited — particularly for regular weekly days — so it's worth enquiring early.
The right fit
Who day care is suitable for
Home day care tends to suit dogs who are comfortable in a home and would otherwise spend long days alone.
Often a great fit
- Dogs whose owners work long or full days
- Dogs who are used to living in a home and enjoy company
- Older or calmer dogs who'd find a big day-care centre overwhelming
- Dogs who benefit from a steady routine of walk, play and rest
Worth a conversation first
- Very young puppies
- Dogs who are anxious or reactive around other dogs
- Dogs with medical needs
- Unneutered males or females in season
Tell us honestly about your dog when you enquire. If day care here isn't the right fit, we'll say so — it matters more to us that your dog is happy than that we fill a place.
What to bring
- Please pack your dogs standard food, enough for their stay.
- Any special treats they may have.
- Medication if required.
- A blanket or something that smells of home so they can snuggle up with it.
- If they sleep in a bed, please bring that.
- Lead, collar with ID tag and a harness if they use one.
- All dogs must be fully vaccinated, included Kennel Cough and be flea and wormed.
Your first visit
Every new dog starts with a conversation. Send us an enquiry telling us about your dog — their age, temperament, routine and what you're looking for — and we'll take it from there.
All new friends require a meet and greet. This give everyone a chance to meet. Your dog will also be introduced to our resident dogs and potentially some guests to see how they all get on. If a meet and greet is successful a trial day / night will be arranged so we can fully assess your dog to ensure they will fit into the club and be happy.
Licensed by Ipswich Borough Council • AWL0005
Day care FAQs
- What is home dog day care?
- Home dog day care means your dog spends the day in the carer's home rather than in a large commercial day-care centre. At The Collar Club Ipswich, your dog joins our household for the day — company, walks, garden time and proper rest — then goes home to you in the evening.
- How many dogs attend day care at once?
- No more than 5 guest dogs at any one time, the same limit as our boarding. Small numbers keep the day calm and mean every dog is genuinely looked after as an individual.
- Is day care at The Collar Club Ipswich licensed?
- Yes. The Collar Club Ipswich is licensed by Ipswich Borough Council (licence no. AWL0005) for both home boarding and day care, so the home and our care standards are inspected and approved by the council.
- What are your day care hours?
- Daycare is from 8am–6pm. A £5 late pick-up charge may be added after 6pm. The earliest drop-off is 7:30am and the latest pick-up is 8:30pm.
- Can my dog try day care before committing?
- All new friends require a meet and greet. This give everyone a chance to meet. Your dog will also be introduced to our resident dogs and potentially some guests to see how they all get on. If a meet and greet is successful a trial day / night will be arranged so we can fully assess your dog to ensure they will fit into the club and be happy.
- My dog is nervous around other dogs — is day care suitable?
- Possibly. Because we only ever have a small number of dogs, the environment is far calmer than a busy day-care hall, which suits many quieter dogs well. Tell us about your dog when you enquire and we'll give you an honest view on whether we're the right fit.
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